UTES vs. XLU
Compare and contrast key facts about Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU).
UTES and XLU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. UTES is an actively managed fund by Virtus Investment Partners. It was launched on Sep 23, 2015. XLU is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Utilities Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998.
Performance
UTES vs. XLU - Performance Comparison
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UTES vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF | 2.56% | 25.71% | 45.35% | -2.46% | 0.80% | 20.74% | -0.30% | 25.48% | 5.14% | 14.21% |
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund | 8.77% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 0.51% | 25.93% | 3.94% | 12.05% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UTES achieves a 2.56% return, which is significantly lower than XLU's 8.77% return. Over the past 10 years, UTES has outperformed XLU with an annualized return of 12.94%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively lower 9.79% annualized return.
UTES
- 1D
- 0.95%
- 1M
- -4.01%
- YTD
- 2.56%
- 6M
- -3.09%
- 1Y
- 25.28%
- 3Y*
- 23.12%
- 5Y*
- 16.60%
- 10Y*
- 12.94%
XLU
- 1D
- 0.48%
- 1M
- -1.98%
- YTD
- 8.77%
- 6M
- 6.26%
- 1Y
- 19.98%
- 3Y*
- 14.30%
- 5Y*
- 10.90%
- 10Y*
- 9.79%
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UTES vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison
UTES has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than XLU's 0.13% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
UTES vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank
UTES
XLU
UTES vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| UTES | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.12 | 1.27 | -0.16 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.55 | 1.73 | -0.18 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.23 | -0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.93 | 2.21 | -0.28 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.77 | 5.31 | -0.54 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| UTES | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.12 | 1.27 | -0.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.82 | 0.64 | +0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.65 | 0.51 | +0.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.72 | 0.41 | +0.31 |
Correlation
The correlation between UTES and XLU is 0.84, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
UTES vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison
UTES's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.46%, less than XLU's 2.58% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF | 1.46% | 1.42% | 1.51% | 2.44% | 2.13% | 1.94% | 2.09% | 1.84% | 2.09% | 3.44% | 3.53% | 0.61% |
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund | 2.58% | 2.71% | 2.96% | 3.39% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 3.14% | 2.95% | 3.33% | 3.33% | 3.41% | 3.67% |
Drawdowns
UTES vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UTES drawdown since its inception was -35.39%, smaller than the maximum XLU drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UTES and XLU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UTES | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.39% | -51.98% | +16.59% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.88% | -9.18% | -4.70% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.40% | -25.26% | +4.86% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.39% | -36.07% | +0.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.01% | -2.72% | -4.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.51% | -10.26% | +4.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.61% | 3.82% | +1.79% |
Volatility
UTES vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison
Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) has a higher volatility of 8.04% compared to Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) at 5.09%. This indicates that UTES's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UTES | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.04% | 5.09% | +2.95% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.29% | 10.36% | +5.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.80% | 15.79% | +7.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.29% | 17.18% | +3.11% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.03% | 19.21% | +0.82% |